WEST ALLIS, Wis. — The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) Milwaukee is putting on its annual Spring Home Improvement Show at the State Fair Park this weekend.
With the pandemic in the rearview mirror, NARI Milwaukee said there are signs that the construction and home improvement industries are trending upward.
David Hoffman is a design partner with Highpoint Design Build Group in Wales, Wis.
He said he is excited to show what his company is all about at the Spring Home Improvement Show.
“Trust us to care as much as you do about your home,” said Hoffman. “We’re passionate. We love problem solving.”
The pandemic took a toll on many industries, including construction and home improvement. However, Hoffman said there were some silver linings that actually helped those businesses.
“I think that’s what we found is that people are a lot more critical,“ said Hoffman. “‘Hey, I need an extra office. I need to find a use for this space over here. We’ve been in our house and we didn’t use that corner.’ Let’s make every space in your home much more functional.”
Amos Owens of Brown Deer, Wis., came out to the Spring Home Improvement Show to look at roofing and door projects.
He said the pandemic allowed him to take a closer look at his home.
“One of the areas that I did upgrade was the insulation,” Owens said.
”Because during the pandemic, you are at home a lot, you realize how cold or how warm it has been and so the insulation was a good thing for me to do.”
Michelle Brown is the executive director of NARI Milwaukee. She said the home improvement industry is still recovering.
“We are seeing a decline overall in remodeling right now,” said Brown. “It’s actually a big decline right now, the biggest since 2010; however, it’s above the levels of the start of the pandemic when things were really at a decline.”
That’s why NARI Milwaukee leaders said it’s more important than ever for them to connect home improvement vendors with the public in one place.
“NARI Milwaukee members are vetted through local staff here in Milwaukee and that’s so important because where do you go to trust someone to come into your home and remodel,” said Brown.
For Hoffman, supply chains can still provide a bit of a challenge for products.
“Maybe we are waiting a little longer to start, but in doing so, we condense that project length,” said Hoffman. “I think post-pandemic, the supply chains are a little bit more robust, but as long as we plan properly and we specify things early, we could get over that hurdle.”
Hoffman’s main goal is to help people fall in love with their homes all over again.
The NARI Milwaukee Spring Home Improvement Show will continue at the State Fair Park in West Allis, Wis., on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.